R&D Briefing: GE, New Energy Technologies and Aquatech

GE has launched its 1-megawatt Waukesha APG1000 gas engine (pictured), which can utilize a broader variety of biogases, including those from landfills, wastewater treatment plants and agricultural waste.

The Waukesha unit’s expanded biogas capabilities are the result of an 18-month redesign and testing initiative that includes modifications to the combustion chamber; a new spark plug design; and a new fuel control system that simplifies engine start-up and operation, GE says. The engine’s greater fuel tolerances allow it to handle fluctuations in the thermal quality of the biogas with little or no manual intervention, says GE.

New Energy Technologies has announced that researchers developing its SolarWindow technology, capable of generating electricity on see-through glass, have developed a first-ever working prototype. The prototype uses brand new electricity-generating coatings which lead to increased transparency and enhanced color – attributes that the company says are important for consumer acceptance of the product.

Wastewater recycler Aquatech has announced that it has been actively operating its MoVap wastewater treatment solution for shale gas at a field location near Masontown, Penn. When fully treated with the proprietary MoVap system, waters can be reused or returned to the environment in compliance with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, Aquatech says.